It is always important to regularly carry out a progress check if you you are following a plan.  At the end of January we only have 113 days to go to Comrades 2009.  Ask yourself two questions right now:

1.    Am I on target at the moment?

2.    What are you going to do for the next 113 days?

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1.    Am I on target?

At the end of January you should be close to 300kms in your logbook from January 1st.  Longest run will have been be a healthy 36km at Redhill taking about 3hrs 45mins. but most of the Comrades runners also did the 30km Bay to Bay in 3hrs 10mins under very hot conditions.  Times and distances close to this will mean you are on target.  If for any reason you have run further it means you are doing too much too soon and I recommend you follow the programme more closely.  You don’t improve your chances by doing too much.  It is more than likely you are building up to a nice injury in March.  If you are falling a bit short of the target times do not start to worry and fit in speed training. The runs in this programme get slower and slower as the distances increase and it is more than likely that you will achieve the target times when you get to the marathons and the ultras.  Comrades is more about endurance and stamina than speed.

Your thoughts at the moment are cautious and guarded.  Very good!  That is what all the Comrades medallists always feel at this time of the year.  Just the same as you.  Everyone on this programme is thinking about the qualifier this month (February).  We set short term objectives, achieve them easily because we train properly and then move on to the next harder objective. That’s how it works.  There are different ways to qualify for Comrades but there is no substitute for the novices way of running a sub 5 hour standard 42km marathon at the end of February this year. That is where you are now and that is what matters.

I do hope you have settled in to a 6 day training programme by adjusting your lifestyle a bit just until May 24th.  Consistent regular daily training plus a rest day is the basis of success.  You don’t have to do specific training such as hills and speed.  Just get out there 6 days a week and the medal is yours.

2.   What are you going to do for the next 113 days?

You know exactly know what you will be doing for the next 113 days because you have already read the overall plan which lays it out for you.  But the focus this month is undoubtedly on the qualifier at the Penisula marathon on February 22nd.  There will be a different course from the traditional flat Green Point to Simonstown.  The new one will be very hilly.  Pre enter and commit yourself, assuring yourself at the same time that you are used to these hills in your own back yard.  Comrades is hilly and also Two Oceans, so this course is just made for you.  The build up for the standard has been very fine in January and this preparation must be completed in February leading up to the race. The run of February 8th must be a 25km to 30km club run to get time on your feet.  Remember you are expecting to spend close to 4 1/2 hours on the road for the qualifier so a 3 hour run would be appropriate on Feb 8th.  Wisdom says keep that weekend before Peninsula down to no more than 20kms.

A Pacing Chart is included which gives you a first half of 2hrs 07mins and a second half of 2hrs 13mins.

Pacing Chart for standard marathon

Kms	Stopwatch Time
10	1 hour 01 mins
20	2 hrs 00 mins
21,1 Halfway	2 hrs 07 mins
30	3 hrs 03 mins
40	4 hrs 07 mins
42,2 Finish	4 hrs 20 mins

The same will happen at Two Oceans and Comrades, a slower second half.  The race is to qualify you for Comrades and that is the sole objective.  Get under 5hrs 00mins.  Don’t worry about seeding, the hills, the wind, your club mates or your rivals.  Just get under 5hrs and then you can get on with Part 2 of the training programme.  That is the good part. 11 weeks of hard training with the ultra marathons.  Make all your plans for the start and finish but more important think about Comrades most of the way.  Tell yourself that you are ready to take on the ultra marathons very soon, so finish with a bit in hand.
Here is the February training programme.